City poised to increase parking fines by more than 40%

The City’s chief financial officer, Mark Litzinger, has informed City Manager John Regan and Historic City News local reporters that the fines collected for parking violations have remained the same since 2006; and Monday night, he will try to remedy that — what he sees as a problem.

In a letter to the City Manager, Litzinger has requested an immediate rate hike as well as a provision allowing changes to parking violation fines in the future to be implemented by resolution, not ordinance.

“It is my recommendation we proceed with the original proposed increase to $25 for meter violations and $35 for illegal parking,” Litzinger wrote.

Citizens appointed by the commission to seats on the Parking and Traffic Committee reviewed Litzinger’s proposal. On June 26, 2014, they decided the $10-per-fine increase was too high; citing concerns of how the increase would impact residents and tourists.

“Contrary to some opinions, this is primarily about managing parking and not new revenue sources,” Litzinger told the City Manager, justifying why he did not support the members of the committee. “The estimated annual incremental revenue from the proposed increase is $55,000 annually — and $27,500 for the lesser increase.”

Litzinger ultimately ignored the recommendation of the citizen board, submitting the first proposed ordinance of the New Year, Ordinance 2015-01, using the higher rates that he originally wanted.

If you plan to attend, the regular meeting of the St Augustine City Commission will be held Monday night, January 12, 2015, beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the Alcazar Room of City Hall located at 75 King Street in St Augustine.  You can watch the meeting live on Comcast Government Television channel 3. Meetings of the City Commission are available for live and on-demand viewing at COSATV.com.

If the commission rejects the recommendation of the citizen board, and they allow Litzinger to have his way, increasing fines for illegal parking from $25 to $35, a 40% increase, and increasing fines for the more common meter violations from $15 to $25, an increase of more than 60%, it would appear there is no reason for citizens to volunteer their service or for the commission to maintain the committee.